Abstract
The childhood obesity epidemic is a serious public health problem that now affects more than one in three older American adults. The rapid rise in obesity rates has raised considerable questions about possible sources, but disentangling the influence of genetic predisposition, home environment, early-life school environment and socio-demographic drivers remains a significant challenge. The purpose of this investigation is to use a within-twin, longitudinal sample to study the extent to which early life self-reported health--and especially early life weight status--is predictive of later-in-life obesity and related co-morbidities. The PTTS study allows us to estimate the impact of adolescent health on later life health while controlling for genetic traits, family environment, and school setting in 1960. Addressing the obesity epidemic will involve a complex life-course approach, and understanding the role of distinct adolescent factors will be crucial towards reaching that goal.